You may not think so, but the water we drink is actually a limited resource. This is why it’s important to conserve water as much as possible. An added consideration, when you waste water, is that you end up spending more on water bills. Household expenditure is often high, so anything you can do to reduce it is a good idea.

Hopefully, you can see the benefits of saving water in your home. But, how do you do it? We have put together ten tips on how to stop wasting water at home.

1. 1. Only use your dishwasher when you have a full load

Using a dishwasher can actually use less water than washing dishes by hand. But, you should wait until you have a full load to start the dishwasher as it uses the same amount of water whether it’s full or not.

1. 2. Do not pre wash dishes before you put them in the dishwasher

If you are using a dishwasher it’s not necessary to pre-wash dishes. All you need to do is scrape off food remnants. If you do pre-wash all you are doing is wasting water.

1. 3. Plan your clothes washing so you have a full load

Just as using a dishwasher with a reduced load wastes water, so does using your washing machine when it’s not full. Make sure that you plan your clothes washing so that the machine is full when you use it.

1. 4. Use cold water to wash clothes

It’s not necessary to use hot water to wash your clothes. They will be just as clean if you use cold water. Using cold water helps to preserve water, and also helps you save on your energy bills.

1. 5. Make sure leaks are fixed straight away

One of the most obvious ways of wasting water in the home is a water leak. It could be something as simple as a dripping tap, but you could be wasting gallons of water each day, if you ignore the problem. If you have a water leak in your home, and you cannot deal with it yourself, you should call experts such as Plumbing Detectives, for help.

1. 6. Use rain water in the garden

How many of you get out the garden hose when there is no rain about? It’s better to think ahead, when the rain falls, and preserve rainwater. You can these use it for watering the bushes and shrubs in your garden, during dry spells.

1. 7. Use mulch to reduce evaporation

Another tip for preserving water in the garden is to use mulch. This helps to stop water evaporating which means that plants get the full benefit of a rain shower, or of your watering.

1. 8. Save water to use on your plants

If you have water left when you finish cooking, you can use it to water your house plants. They do not care what it tastes like, and it’s a lot better to do this than simply pour the water down the drain.

1. 9. Take a shower instead of a bath

Every time you take a bath, you use 35 gallons of water, on average. Take a shower instead and you can save as much as 22 gallons of water; if you use a low flow shower head.

1. 10. Turn off the tap when you do not need water

You may be thinking that you would not have tap switched on unless you needed water. But, how many of you leave the tap on while you are brushing your teeth or shaving. Even switching a tap off for a few seconds can save a significant amount of water in the long term. This reduces the amount you pay in water bills.

Take a look at the tips we have provided, put them into action, and start saving water, and money, today.